Convertible furniture



[ 613 9, 1932. w 3. RICH 1,844,904

CONVERTIBLE FURNiTURE Filed July 17; 1928 '7 Sheets-Sheet 1 TUR Mam B J... 9.. .JL M fi-r cngglcq Feb. 9, 1932.

W. D. RICH CONVERTIBLE FURNITURE Filed July 17, 1928 7 Sheets-Sheet s ATTDRHE'L Feb. 9,1932.

w. D. RICH 1,844,9Q4

CONVERTIBLE FURNITURE Filed July 17, 1928 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 mew g Feb. 9, 1932. v w 11 c 1,844,904

CONVERTIBLE FURNITURE Filed July 17. 1928 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 igmml Feb. 9, 1932. w. D. RICH CONVERTIBLE FURNITURE 7 Sheets-Shet 6 Filed July 17, 1928 Feb. 9, 1932. w. D. RICH CONVERTIBLE FURNITURE Filed July 17, 1928 '7 SheetsShe-et 7 Patented Feb. 9, 1932 UNITEDLJSTA-TE sir wmLis 1). RICE, orimivonmymassscnusnms CONVERTIBLE FURNITURE Y Application: mean-1 11; 1928. 1 Serial Ra; 283,418.

, The invention: relates to convertible fur-- nit-ure of a type essentially.v adapted tor sehool-i room'use by which: the normal seatmg ca"-,

pacity of a schoolroommay beincreased-and s the room he, usedvfor assembl-y purposes.

, In a schoolroom the chairs withaccom panying desks are: ordinarily arranged with aisles between them. The object of the invention is to: provideathese chairs with. con

in vertible deslrmem'oers or attachments which allow the deskstobe eliminated as occasion may require and the deskmembers or attachments converted into chairs for filling the aisles between "the permanent chairs. The- .3. 'further o'bj ectof the invention-is to simplify and strengthenthe ent1restrueture,- arrange for easy convertibility of.-:the- -convertibleparts-and for a positive setting oiithese parts when converted, and otherwise make the con-- 20; structionas'eflieient and practical as possible.

The invention can best be'seen and under stood by reference to: the; drawings, in.

which- 7 Figure l is a side elevation oflone of the permanentohai-rs and comhined-with it-the mounting for the; convertible attachment later to be referred-to- I r Fig. 2 i'sa side elev-ationvthe same as Fig.

1 with the convertible attachmentnpplied to 3 11 its mounting to form a desk.

Fig. '3: is a vertical section shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. sis a vertical section ot-the; parts shown in Fig. 2. I 5 I 33. Fig. S is a sectionon the line 5 5 of Fig. 7 showing the convertible attaehmentapplied to its-mounting to form an..ais'le chair- Fig.6 is a. view mainly in vertical section showing one of. the permanent chairs; the

41 mounting comhinedlwith it for supporting the convertibleattachment and saidrat'tachment together. with the. seat. of: the. permanent chair turned to an out-of-the-way or stacked position.

4.) Fig.7 shows in front elevation permanent chairs and associated therewith the convertihie attachment converted to form an aisle chair. a

Fig. Sis a plan ofthe structureshown in no Fig.1. i

of the parts .Fig, 9 is a view mainly in. plauhut partly, in section showing thehase portions orpedestals of certain of thepermanent chairsand connecting therewith frames which assist in the support of themounting for, the conv'erti;

ple attachments.

Fig, 10 is a view inperspective. oiione of the permanent chairs. removed from. its.sup-, porting pedestal.

Fig. llis: a perspective of the.,converfltible,v attachment. I

Fig. 12 is a; view partly in side elevation. and partly in vertical section or thechair with modified structure, and

. Fig. 13 isaview in perspective ofcertain of the modified parts, enteringinto. the structure shown in ig, 12. v c

It will first be explained' that the structure embodying; theinvention comprisesaipermanent chair and combined therewith, a con; vertible attachment comprising a desk and its. support. it There. is, also combined with the. permanent chairamounting for the convert. ible attachment. .This mounting inone em-t bodiment ofthe invention, asfwill. later he explained, acts as a supportfor the: hack of the permanent chain; Normally. thev attach? merit Y which comprises thes desk and. its support,\is.mounted to hang over theiback ofthe permanent chair thedesk-itself; then being turned to a position where it, may be usedby a person .sitting behindthe permanent chair-rand fronting the desk When, however, it is desired to fillthexaiisle alongside thepermanent chair and betweenlit and the next adjacent permanent chair on the. other side of the, aisle, then the. desk and its supportare-li-fted oil their mounting. andImounted tohang between two ;adj acentpermanent chairs filling the aisle,.the-desk. support then formingtheback of the aislechainanct the desk then being turned down tOaIE-OIIIl the seat of the aisle chair. Reference to the general construction is thus made at, this-point for-the. purpose of obtaining. a clear under standing of. the parts now to he. referred to,

The permanent chair designed to bewfastened securely to the floor; comprises; a base or pedestal 1; Set into. thishaseand'rising vertically from it is a standard 21 This standard is adjustable vertically with relation to the base and is fixed to it in any adjusted position by means of a pin or set screw 3 passed through the side of the base and engaging the standard as by entering a slot 4 therein. (See Fig. 12.) Carried by the standard 2 and fixed to the top thereof by a fastening 5 is a seating board or block 6 horizontally arranged, which acts as a support or rest for the seat of the chair when turned down into its operative position. 7 repre sents the seat of the chair. Parallelly arranged and connected respectively to the opposite ends of the seating block 6 are side rails 8. These side rails extend back horizontally from the seating block and thence are turned to have an upward extension with preferably a slight backward inclination. Connected to the u )wardly-extending portions of these side rails are cross-bars 9 which co-operate with the side rails to which they are fastened to form the back of the chair. The cross-bars are secured to the side rails in any suitable manner and are preferably arranged one at the extreme top end of the side rails and the other below the upper cross-bar in spaced relation thereto leaving below it a clear or open space to the rear edge of the seating block 6. The seat 7 is arranged with-- in this space and is secured to turn pivotally upon the horizontally-extending portions of the side rails 8 back of the seating block 6 by means of trunnions 10 arranged on the under side of the seat forward of the rear ed e thereof and turning on and between the si e rails as aforesaid. Thus arranged the seat may have an upturned out-of-the-way position against the back of the chair as shown in Fig. 10 or it may have a downturned operative position, then resting upon the seating block 6. The side rails 8 or rather those portions which function as a frame for the back of the chair are preferably of an le iron, the ends of the cross ieces 9 fitting into the angle formed by the non and securely fixed in place. The lower portions of the side rails, however, are made as flat bars, one flange of the iron being cut away, and it is these flattened portions of the rails that are secured to the opposite ends of the seating block 6 and between which also the seat is pivoted, the arrangement being such that the seat may be turned freely between them. One flange at the lower end. of the angular portion of the side rails is preferably turned inward to form stops 12 against which the top rear end of the seat is adapted to bear when the seat is in its down-- turned operative position, the rear end of the seat turning away from these stops when the seat is raised into its upturned out-ofthe-way position.

Associated with each of the permanent chairs is a mounting for the desk and its support comprising the convertible attachment as aforesaid. This mounting comprises uprights 15 adapted to be fixed to the floor one at either side adjacent the back of the permanent chair. The u rights apart from their fastening to the fibor are ri idl supported by means of a frame 16. is rame, orizontally arranged, extends between the two uprights and is rigidly fastened to them by bolting or otherwise. Thence the frame extends beneath the seat of the permanent chair and is provided, centrally disposed within its forward edge, with a collar 17 which slips over the top end of the base or pedestal of the permanent chair and is securely fixed to it by means of a tightening screw 17 which fastens through the rim of the collar into the top of the base or pedestal. This frame gives great rigidity to the u rights holding them securely in place. t will also be observed that the frame occupies an out-of-the-way position with relation to the seat of the permanent chair inasmuch as it extends within a plane lying well below the seat of the permanent chair or one substantiallyflush with the top of the base or pedestal on which the permanent chair is mounted. The uprights 15 are standardized in that they are alike in form and size. They rise vertically to a height preferably a little be low the top to the back of the permanent chair with which the uprights are associated. The uprights are provided with vertical groovingsforming ways in their opposite sides. These groovings as a matter of expediency are made alike for the opposite sides of each standard although for purposes of description they will be referred to as ways on the inner and outer sides of the uprights. The inner sides of the uprights will be considered those sides facing the back of the permanent chair to which they are adjacent while the outer sides of the uprights will be considered the sides which face an aisle alongside the permanent chair. The inner sides of the uprights are provided with vertical ways 18 and 19, respectively, while the outer sides of the uprights are provided with vertical ways 18' and 19 respectively. The vertical ways 18 and 18 occupy positions adjacent the rear edge of the uprights and these ways are preferably approximately true vertical ways not appreciably inclined. The ways 19 and 19' occupy positions adjacent the forward edge of the uprights and while vertical are slightly inclined in a rearward direction. Each of the uprights is provided along its front edge with a forward-projecting bracket 20. These brackets, owing to the spacing of the uprights to which they are secured, with relation to a permanent chair with which the uprights are associated, will extend outwardly by the sides of the permanent chair and provide supports for the seat of the aisle chair, as will later be referred to. Each of the uprights along its front edge just mem s abowezits bracket'iQO "is proividedavithra zdown turned projecting keeper 2:2 and a socket 523 formed hack of thisikeeper.

=2 5Wis the convertible :attachment (see Fig. 111).; The attachmentcomprises .a desk 26 convertible into achair'seat anda support 27 for the desk Aconvertibleinto a chairback. The desk 26 is generally rectangular in form. Its top :surface, when themexnber :is iunctioning as a :desk, has the finish of a desk, while its under surface :has the finish "of ;a chairseat. V The 'desk-support 27 consists=of a framegenerally rectangular in form andlhas the general form ofla chair back for when converted it vfunctions as a chair back. l-It comp-rises spacedcrossbars 28land 29,, respectively, with connecting, bars 30aa'long the sides. .lVhen'theideskimember26is function ing as a :desk the crossbar 28 forms .acon:

tinuation or the outer end of the desk, the top ofthe crossbar being preferablyprovided with .a :rearward-extending portion .28. In finish the top surface of the crossbar 28 is made .to correspond with .the top surface of the desk :and'the crossbar is vpreferablyprovided with sooketslior holding desk equip ment. lFixeditoithe rear side of the desk support :and dying. beneathxthe rearward-extending portion 2850i the crossbar 28 are;-beveled blocks 82.] These blocks provide rests againstwhich bear -brackets 33 fixed to the under side ofthe desk and assisting in the supportof the desk. Fastened to the opposite sides o f'thexdesk supporti29gareelongated strips .orrbar's 3,4. Inwidth the desk support issnbstantially equalto the space between [the uprights 15 at the ,backof one of the permanent chairs, or :to :the aisle space between the spaced uprights ofzadjacentvchairs. [,When occupying the spacebetween the uprights at the :back of one of the permanent chairs the mountingrbars 345 of the desk support willbe slidablycon'tained to lie within the ways 18,

18 of :the respective uprights, :and when the I support-is roccupyingzthe aisle space between the spaceduprlights of adjacent chairs the mounting bars 34 will be slidably contained to lie within :the ways 19, 19' of the respective uprights I The desk-member 26 is gpivotally connected to its supportingmember 27 byaa set of hinged connections, :and these hinged connections will be described in the light of the member 26 wheniunctioning'asa desk and the memberl27wthenfunctioningito support the desk, alilsubs'tantially as shown in:Fig. 151. The hinged connections comprise shinges tastened :by strips 36 to the top surface of the desk adjacent therearedge-ofzthe desk. 'Connecting alsoywith the hinges are straps37 whichrextend over-theatop surface ofithe crossbar 28 :and its extension 28 of the desk sup-- ;pont lying withinggrooves 38cutxtherein. The straps :37 connect with :hinges 3.9 arranged Eat the forward edge of the crossbar :28. 20011- necting zalsoywith the hinges 39 are strap extensions 40, which extend downwardiover the irontiacc of theldesk support :and'connect either "be maintained to occupyasi'ibst'an tially horizontal :position-with-entension rearward of the top end of the support, or, "be turned over the supporttoioc'cupy a substantiallyhorizontal positionwith extension for-e Wardlyof: and below the lower end'ofithesupport. tending position as aforesaid the-adesk will extend in substantial rearward continuation of the crossbar 2-8 of the desk, support or frame and its extension28'v. V Whenthe desk support orframe :isslidably contained Within :the ways 18, 18 of the-uprights at the back of one of the permanent chairs "it will :be' supported :in adjusted position by :means of pins 44 set into any one of the series of openings-45 formed within the uprights :at the lower end portions; ofthe ways, the bottom 1 ends of the mounting bars 340i the desk support engaging these pins.

'When the desk support or frame is slidably contained within the ways 7'19, 19' iofthe spaced vuprights Ofzfidj30611t chairs zit will be supported in adjusted position by means of stops-46 in the respective ways, the bottom ends of the mounting bars 3iengaging-thes'e stops. The desk support is also'equipped'with the locking members 47 which assist in the support and maintenance of thedeskas will presently'beexplained. v o

The operation is as follows: Normally, as for example in a schoolroom awhere :desk-s are to be used in connection with permanent chairs with" aisles running between thechairs, then the convertible attachment comprising the desk and itssupport is mounted on the uprights 15 atftheback of a permanent-chair, This mounting. is'effected by sliding the mounting bars 34 ofthe'desk' supportinto the ways 18, :18 of {the respective uprights, entrance beingrhad thereto fromthetop. i The desk support will be moved down within the ways of the uprights tova position where the desk'suppor'ted-by it extending backward will lie inga position for use'by one seated in another of the permanent chairs hack of which the desk is hung; W hen ithus positioned'the. attachment will be maintained in place by the bearingiof the ends of the mounti-ng bars 34 of *theydesk support or. frame against the pins 44. a The desk will then be supported by thedhinged-c0nnection to-the support or fra-me and also by .thehearing of the brackets 33 "outbo -desk against the blocks thesupportl Assistingalso :in thesup- Whenoccupying its rearward1y-ex I I convertible attachment comprising the desk and its support is lifted off the uprights on which it is mounted at the back of one of the permanent chairs and placed in the aisle where it is mounted upon the adjacent spaced 7 uprights of adjacent ones of the permanent chairs. This mounting is effected by sliding the mounting bars 34 of the desk support into the ways 19', 19 of the respective uprights with entrance from the top, and the bars are moved down in the ways until they engage the stops 46 when the desk support becomes maintained in adjusted position. Thus arranged the desk support 27, now functioning as a chair back, remains securely in place and will be in substantial alignment with the backs of the permanent chairs. \Vith the desk support thus positioned the desk or member 26, through its hinged connection with the member 27, will then be turned over the top thereof, inverted and located in a position where it will come to rest on the brackets 20, the desk 26 then functioning to form a seat for the aisle chair. When thus positioned the desk will be maintained against outward displacement by the locking members 47 on the desk, slipped in back of the keepers 22 on the respective uprights and entering the sockets 23 formed back of the keepers. In addition to preventing outward displacement of the desk when thus forming a seat for the aisle chair,

the engagement between the locking members 47 on the desk and the keepers 22 on the up rights will act to prevent the entire convertible attachment 25 from being raised until the member or seat 26 has been turned up.

In order to prevent displacement of the aisle chair from the uprights on which it is mounted and to lock the chair to these uprights, each of the uprights is preferably provided with a strap which extends across 3 its way 19 and when the mounting bars 34 of the member 27 are slipped downward into these ways they will lie back of the respective straps 50, thereby holding the member 27 and the entire aisle chair with it in place and preventing its separation from the uprights upon which it is mounted.

A further capability of the structure resides in the fact that the convertible features are such as to permit of arrangement being made to afford easy access for sweeping beseats of the permanent chairs are then turned up. The convertible attachments are then lifted so that the desk member 26 of each may be turned over the back of a rmanent chair and each assume a stacke position, substantially as shown in Fig. 6 which practically eliminates the seats and desks and provides easy access around the permanent chairs.

In connection with the further capabilities of the structure, attention is directed to the frame 16. This frame apart from assisting in the support of the uprights, provides also a shelf beneath the seat of each of the permanent chairs which may be used by one sitting back of the chair. The frame or shelf thus provided is spaced well below the seat of the permanent chair leaving a compartment between it and the seat sufficiently lar e to receive a box or cabinet of considera le size, or books and the like may be placed within it as occasion may require.

In Figs. 12 and 13 there is shown a slight modification especially with relation to the backs of the permanent chairs. In the previous figures and especially in Fi 10 the back of the permanent chair is s own attached through the side rails 8 of the chair to the seating board or block 6 which acts as a support or rest for the seat of the chair when turned down into its operative position. According to the modified construction a seating board or block 6 is provided on the upper end of the adjustable upright 2 on which the seat is mounted and the seat 7 is secured directly to this block by a hinged connection 51, the seat then being capable of being turned up or down the same as before. Instead of providing a back for this seat of the permanent chair which is independent of the uprights as in the constructiondpreviously described, a back 52 is provide which is mounted upon the u rights. This back is made substantially like t e desksupporting member 27 which functions as a back for the aisle chair as previously described. The back 52 comprises side bars 53 with connecting crossbars 54 and 55- respectively all combining to form a chair back. The back is mounted upon the uprights 15 by slipping its side bars 53 downward into the ways 19, 19 on the inner sides or faces of the respective uprights, entrance being made from the top. The back is held in any adjusted position by set screws 56 passed through straps 57 which cross the ways 19, 19 and back of which the side bars 53 of the back lie when slipped downward into the respective ways. These straps are similar to the straps which cross the ways 19', 19' on the exterior faces'of the uprights as explained above. Thus arranged, the backs of the permanent chairs may be set in any ad justed position, both the backs and the seats of the permanent chairs then being made adjustable.

7 whereby they may be converted as aforesaid,

means for mounting said attachment upon and between the uprights at theback of said one of the chairs, and means whereby said attachment may be mounted upon and between adjacent spaced uprights of adjacent chairs to for1na naisle chair between said chairs,

, the desk support then being converted to lie between said adjacent spaced uprights of said adjacent chairs to form the back of the aisle chair, and the-(desk being then converted to i-estupon said brackets and form the seat of i 2(The combination comprising adjacent spaced chairs having spaced uprights arranged at the backs of said chairs, a removable attachment mounted upon and between the uprights atjtheback of one of said chairs and comprising a deskconvertible into a chair seat, a support for the desk convertible into a chair'back and meansconnecting said,

desk and support whereby they may be converted as aforesaid, means for mounting said attachment-upon and between the uprights at the back of one of said chairs, means wherebysaid attachment may be mounted upon and between adjacent spaced-uprights of adjacent chairs to form an aisle chair between them, the desk support being converted to form the back of the aislechair and the desk being converted to form the seat thereof, means for supporting the desk when functioning asa seat forthe aisle chair, and means forming aninterlocklng connectlon between the desk and-said uprights jwhen said desk is functioning'as a seat for the aisle chair for preventing displacement'of the desk;

i3.'The combination comprising adjacent spaced chairs having spaced uprights'arranged at'thebacks' of said chairs, each of said uprights having vertical ways open at thetopendsthereof and formed on the interior and exterior sides of said uprights, a

removable attachment comprising a desk convertible into a chair seat, a support for the desk convertible into a chair back, and means connecting said desk and support whereby support being adaptable to be mounted upon the uprights at theback of one of said chairs orupon the-adjacent spaced uprights ofadprising separate members, one desk memoonvertible'into a chalr seat andtheother' jacent chairs and when thus mounted lie slid tially horizontal position forwardlyof and near the lower end of said supporting memher", and brackets secured to the desk member and'assisting in its support when occupying itsg'earwardly-extending position as aforesai 1 I v a 5. A removable, convertible chair attachment comprisinga desk member, a supporting member, said supporting member including a frame having atop crossbar extendingrearr wardly thereof and blocks on the 'rearside of the frame arranged below therearwardlyextending portion of said top bar, means hingedly connecting the two members wherebythe desk member may be held in a position rearwardly of and in substantial horizontal extension of said top crossbar of the fram'e and be turned to occupy a substantially hori- 'zontal position forwardly of and near the lower end of the frame, and brackets secured tothe desk member and bearing against said blocks when the desk member is occupying its rearwardly-extending position as afore said, t 6. Anremova-ble, convertible chair attachment'comprising a desk member, a supportbe turned over the frame to occupy a substantially horizontal position forwardly of and r I near the lower end of the frame, means assisting in the support of the deskmemb er when occupying its said rearwardlyextendmgposrtion, and means secured to the "desk member adapted to fit-in beneath the saidrearwardlyextending portion of said top crossbar when the desk member is occupying its rearwardextending position as aforesaid.

v '7. Ina convertiblechair attachment, a converting means comprising a plurality of strap members triple hingedly connected adapted to render a desk member and its support convertible into a chair seat and a chair back respectively.

8. In a convertible chair-attachment, coma support for said desk member convertible into a chair back; a hinged conversion means comprising a member affixed to said desk member, a second member affixed to said support member, and a plurality of intermediate strap members hingedly connected to each other and to the aforesaid members.

9. The combination comprising adjacent spaced chairs, spaced uprights arranged at the backs of said chairs, a removable attachment mounted upon and between the uprights at the back of one of said chairs and comprising a desk convertible into a chair seat, a suport for the desk convertible into a chair ack, and means connecting said desk and support whereby they may be converted as aforesaid, means for mounting said attachment upon and between the uprights at the back of said one of the chairs, means whereby said desk support may be mounted upon adjacent spaced uprights of adjacent chairs to form the back of an aisle chair located between said adjacent spaced chairs and the desk then be converted to form the seat of the aisle chair, means for preventing said support when functioning as the back of the aisle chair from drawing away from the uprights upon which it is mounted, and means for supporting andretaining the desk when functioning as the seat of the aisle chair.

10. The combination comprising adjacent aced chairs, spaced uprights arranged at t e backs of said chairs, a removable attachment mounted upon and between the uprights at the back of one of said chairs and comprising a desk convertible into a chair seat, a sup ort for the desk convertible into a chair bac and means connecting said desk and support whereby they may be converted as aforesaid, means for mounting said attachment upon and between the uprights at the back of said one of the chairs, means whereby said desk support may be mounted upon ad'- jacent spaced uprights of adjacent chairs to form the back of an aisle chair located between said adjacent spaced chairs and the desk then be converted to form the seat of the aisle chair, means connected to said uprights for supporting the desk when functioning as the seat for the aisle chair, and means forming a releasable interlocking connection between the desk and said uprights when the desk is functioning as a seat for the aisle chair for preventing displacement of the desk.

11. The combination comprising adjacent spaced chairs, spaced uprights arranged at the backs of said chairs each of said uprights having vertical ways open at the top thereof and formed on the interior and exterior sides of said uprights, an attachment for said chairs comprising a desk convertible into a chair seat and a support for the desk convertible into a chair back, means hingedly connecting said desk and support whereby the desk may be held in a position to function as a desk with extension rearward of said supporting member and be turned and held in a position to function as a chair seat with extension for ward of said supporting member, said desk support being provided with means whereby it may be supported within the we s formed on the interior sides of the uprig ts at the back of one of said chairs or within the ways formed on the exterior sides of the uprights of adjacent chairs.

12. The combination com rising adjacent spaced chairs, spaced uprig ts arranged at the backs of said chairs, each of said uprights having vertical ways open at the top thereof and formed on the interior and exterior sides of said uprights, an attachment for said chairs comprising a desk convertible into a chair seat and a support for the desk convertible into a chair back, means hingedly connecting said desk and support whereby the desk may be held in a position to function as a desk with extension rearward of said supporting member and be turned and held in a position to function as a chair seat with extenslon forward of said supporting member, mounting bars on the opposite sides of the supporting member by which it may be slida 1y contained within the ways formed on the interior sides of said uprights at the back of one of said chairs or within the we s formed on the exterior sides of the upri ts of adjacent chairs, and stops for sai mounting bars contained within said respective sets of ways.

13. The combination com rising adjacent spaced chairs, spaced uprig ts arranged at the backs of said chairs, an attachment for said chairs comprising a desk convertible into a chair seat and a support for the desk convertible into a chair back, means hingedly connecting said desk andsupport whereby the desk may be held in a position to function as a desk with extension rearward of said supporting member or be turned and held in a position to function as a chair seat with extension forward of said supporting member, means for mounting said attachment on and between the uprights at the back of one of said chairs whereby said desk will have rearward extension as aforesaid, means for mounting said attachment between the spaced uprights of adjacent chairs whereby said desk will have forward extension as aforesaid, and means for supporting and retaining the desk when functioning as a chair seat including keepers on said uprights and locking members adapted and arranged to have interlocking engagement with said keepers.

14. The combination comprising adjacent spaced chairs, spaced uprights arranged at the backs of said chairs, an attachment for said chairs comprising a desk convertible into a chair seat and a sup ort for the desk convertible into a chair back, means hingedly connecting said desk and support whereby the desk may be held in a position to function as a desk with extension rearward of said supporting member or be turned and held in a position to function as a chair seat with extension forward of said supporting member, means for mounting said attachment on and between the uprights at the back of one of said chairs whereby said desk will have rearward extension as aforesald, means for mounting said attachment between the spaced uprights of adjacent chairs whereby said desk will have forward extension as aforesaid, locking members on said desk adapted and arranged to have interlocking engagement with said support when said desk is occupying its rearward-extending position as aforesaid, and keepers on said uprights with which said locking members have interlocking engagement when said desk is occupying its forward extending position as aforesaid.

WILLIS D. RICH. 

